Sadly, something deeply touched my life this week, that evoked me to scribble down this few words. There are companies in our society that strive to improve and add value to the lives of poor and desolate people in our country, rather than pass the bucket, an point fingers at others. Our society deserve to have a businesses that are not only concetrating on profit making, but rather find solutions to equip our society with necessary means of making a living. One such company is Agri-Carara, based in Makana Municipalit (Grahamstown), which has employed over 500 unskilled labour on its new extended business premises, who were desperately seeking employment. The high rate of unemployment in Makana and the surrounding areas is so obvious that it has led people to desperately walk long distances in the early hours of the morning just to have chance on the line, some even spent the night in the cold slept outside the business premises.
One of the community members interviewed, Ms Paula Cintso had to walk with her brother at 2:00 in the morning from Vukani, a township outside Grahamstown, about 2km from their destination, never mind the highlevels of crime in this part of town. It took her (3) three days before she could finally enter the premises to submit her application form. The company only opened its doors at 9:00 am and accepting 150 applicants a day, hence some have to return and battle for a place in the line again the next day.
This attitude is propagated by desperate souls, in a region where we find most of the households in the surrounding townships are so poor and destitute that most families rely on government grants or get support from one member of the family who is working, either as a domestic worker or a menial job. Such conditions are not supposed to be part of our society at this present time in our short history, where people would risk their lives just to search and find a job,
whilst there are millions of Rands that are misused within the government departments, whilst there are so many entrepreneurs who have the means but lack capacity and infrastructure to develop efficient projects that are for the benefit and upliftment of all in our national society, but due to beaurocracy in our government institutions end-up in the gutter because most small businesses and entrepreneurs lack the necessary resources to implement their well thought-off ideas or visions. We the people of Eastern Cape,especially the Makana Region should stand-up against such scourges of
illiteracy; unemployment; poverty; and crime that consequently resulted in the degeneration of our society and continues to deprive man of Moral and Cultural Values which eventually lead to all kinds of domestic abuse and violent crimes against children and women. This is the opportune time for all in our society, government institutions and major businesses to gather strategies that will seek to empower the disadvantaged entrepreneurs and small businesses with “capacity and infrastructure” that will subsequently result in profitable establishments around the townships.
Hence we need to commend Agri-Carara for its contribution towards the escalating high-rate of unemployment. Our people need Skills, which will aid to sustain and improve their living standards, rather than depend or rely on grants and endless empty promises from our government. The Lobengula Foundation in the Eastern Cape, has a broad-based business plan which
amongst other criteria encompasses Skills Development Training and Learneship in the fields of Arts and Culture; Film Making and Photography which are relevant to suite each community needs, and help trainees after compliting the course to be self-sustainable and create
other jobs.
Disclaimer: All articles and letters published on MyNews24 have been independently written by members of News24's community. The views of users published on News24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of News24. News24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.
